1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless telecommunication systems, and more particularly to the routing of data in a wireless communication device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The development of digital versions of analog mobile and portable communication devices, such as cellular telephones and radiotelephones, has opened up new avenues for potential use of such devices. While the analog mobile communication devices merely provided verbal communication services for an end user such as an individual, the development of the digital versions have resulted in an opportunity to develop communication devices that are multi-functional wireless-transmitters and receivers of digital data. For example, a potential application for such a multi-functional digital communication device (DCD) is the provision of wireless modem-type services for an end user such as a data terminal, such as a fax machine, or a data terminal equipment item (DTE, such as a personal computer or a workstation, that is connected to a data port of the DCD, in addition to the provision of conventional verbal communication services to an individual. In order to provide multi-functional communication services, the DCD must be able to route data to and from each of multiple communication ports, which ports each provide a communication interface for one of multiple DCD end users.
In addition, the development of a DCD that can transmit and receive data has opened up an opportunity for a DCD to run applications that were not available for analog communication devices. For example, an individual using a DCD may be able to run a web browsing application that links to, and exchanges data with, web-based servers via the Internet.
In order for a DCD to provide wireless communication services to each of multiple communication ports, wherein the multiple communication ports are capable of interfacing with multiple potential end users, and to further provide communication services to each of multiple applications that may be run on the DCD, the DCD must have a method for determining a destination of data received by the DCD and for routing the data accordingly.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus for routing multiple data streams among multiple applications and among multiple communication ports of a DCD.